National Museum of American Illustration facts for kids
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| Established | 1998 |
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| Location | Newport, Rhode Island, US |
| Type | Visual art |
The National Museum of American Illustration (NMAI) is a special place in Newport, Rhode Island. It opened in 1998. This museum is the first in the country to focus only on American illustration art. You can find it inside the beautiful Vernon Court mansion. The NMAI has over 2,000 original artworks. These include famous pieces by artists like Norman Rockwell and Maxfield Parrish.
Contents
Discovering the Museum's History
The NMAI was started in 1998 by Laurence S. Cutler and Judy Goffman Cutler. They began the museum in their own home, the Vernon Court mansion. Judy Goffman Cutler used to be an art dealer. She owned a place called the American Illustrators Gallery. She later moved her personal art collection to the museum.
The museum first opened for special visits. Then, in October 2000, it opened regularly to everyone. This happened after two years of working to get approval. The NMAI is very famous for its large collection of Norman Rockwell paintings.
The Beautiful Gardens of Stoneacre
The museum also owns another property next to Vernon Court. This property is called Stoneacre. The original Stoneacre mansion is no longer there. However, the grounds were designed by a famous landscape architect. His name was Frederick Law Olmsted.
Today, the Stoneacre grounds have been restored. They are now an arboretum, which is like a tree garden. This was done to honor Olmsted's work. The grounds have many special trees. Some are even Rhode Island State Champion trees. In 2016, these grounds were recognized as an important arboretum.
Exploring the Art Collection
The NMAI's collection is called the American Imagist Collection. It focuses on art from the 'Golden Age of American Illustration'. This special time was mostly from 1865 to 1945. It ended when the original Saturday Evening Post magazine stopped being published.
The museum shows original art by many great illustrators. These include Norman Rockwell, Maxfield Parrish, and N.C. Wyeth. Other artists are Howard Pyle, J. C. Leyendecker, and Jessie Willcox Smith. These artists created images that became important parts of American culture. Think of the New Year’s Baby or Uncle Sam.
Famous Works and Special Items
Among the many artworks, you can see famous pieces by Norman Rockwell. These include Russian Schoolroom and The Runaway. The museum also has many interesting items related to the artists.
For example, you can see Norman Rockwell's first paint box. There are also Maxfield Parrish’s special paint brushes. The museum also has many old photographs. These items help tell the story of these amazing illustrators.
